Sherrod Brown

Mr. BROWN of Ohio

Mr. BROWN of Ohio. Mr. President, there has been concern, as the chairman pointed out and the ranking member pointed out, on Benita Pearson's views on animal law. With all due respect to my colleague, you know it is a red herring. If you look at the record of Ohio's Northern District, which goes back to 1839, there has been exactly one case on animal welfare. Some 20 years ago, the Cleveland Zoo was sued to stop the transfer of Timmy the gorilla to the Bronx Zoo--I am not making this up--from transferring Timmy the Gorilla to the Bronx Zoo for mating purposes. The case was dismissed. One case in 170 years. Judge Pearson is qualified, say the two former presiding judges, Chief Judges Carr and White, and the sitting presiding judge, Judge Oliver from the Northern District--a combined 50 years' experience on the district court. Judge James Carr, the Chief U.S. District Judge at the time of her nomination, lauded Judge Pearson as ``a splendid choice . . . eminently well-qualified by intelligence, experience . . . and judicial temperament.'' His successor, Chief Judge Solomon Oliver, is just as supportive of her nomination. So is former Chief Judge George White, who wrote that: Magistrate Judge Pearson's record as a Judicial Officer and her litigation and business experience do more than idly suggest her readiness to assume the position of District Court Judge. Taken all together, you will be hard-pressed to find a more suitable candidate.

Mr. BROWN of Ohio. These judges have made glowing reports on Judge Benita Pearson, who has been a magistrate, a CPA, practiced privately, worked for the U.S. Attorney's Office. She will be the first African- American woman to sit on the Federal bench in Ohio. She has been supported by Senator Voinovich and a bipartisan commission of 17 lawyers who picked her. She is a great choice. I ask the concurrence of my colleagues. I yield to Senator Udall.

Mr. BROWN of Ohio

Mr. BROWN of Ohio. Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent that the Senate proceed to the immediate consideration of S. Res. 704 submitted earlier today.

Mr. BROWN of Ohio. I ask unanimous consent that the resolution be agreed to, the preamble be agreed to, the motion to reconsider be laid on the table, with no intervening action or debate, and any statements related thereto be printed in the Record.

Mr. BROWN of Ohio

Mr. BROWN of Ohio. Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent that the Senate proceed to the immediate consideration of S. Res. 703, submitted earlier today.

Mr. BROWN of Ohio. Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent that the resolution be agreed to, the preamble be agreed to, the motions to reconsider be laid upon the table, with no intervening action or debate, and any statements related to the resolution be printed in the Record.

Mr. BROWN of Ohio. Mr. President, I would like to take a moment to speak about this last resolution. Bob Feller was a Clevelander through and through. Senator Harkin is the prime sponsor of this resolution. I have joined him on it. Senator Harkin sponsored the resolution because Bob Feller was born in Van Meter, IA. He was signed by the Cleveland Indians at the age of 16, apparently for $1 and an autographed baseball. He struck out 15 batters in his first Major League start. He struck out 17 in a game at the age of 17. He is the only Major League player in history to strike out in one game the number of batters comparable to his age. His greatness was he was, perhaps, the hardest throwing pitcher ever in Major League Baseball. He pitched three no-hitters, then a record. It has been passed since. He pitched 12 one-hitters also, sharing that Major League record. He would have shattered, perhaps, all pitching records short of Cy Young's number of career wins, perhaps, and Walter Johnson's, if he had not served his country for almost 4 years in World War II. He gladly did it. He won eight battle stars. He served on the USS Alabama as a gunnery specialist. He was so proud of his service to his country. He turned down a huge contract with the Indians in 1942--huge in those days--to join the military to serve his country. He spoke about it frequently and was always very proud of that service. He barnstormed the country with Satchel Page, the great Black pitcher who was not allowed in the Major Leagues in those days before the color line was broken. Feller and he traveled the country in the ``White Major League Baseball'' offseason and drew huge crowds, with Page and he facing each other in game after game after game. He was a key member of the last Indians World Championship in 1948. I saw Bob Feller pitch once. I was 4 years old, so I do not really remember it. My dad took my brothers Bob and Charlie and me to Bob Feller Day at old Cleveland Municipal Stadium in, I believe, 1957. My dad loved Bob Feller. He was a legend in Cleveland. His statue is the only professional athlete's statue in Cleveland. Right outside Jacobs Field, on East 9th Street, you can see Bob Feller's statue, with his famous windup. When you go to an Indians game in the new ballpark at Progressive Field--new, it is now more than 15 years old--when you go to the ballpark, people always say: I will meet you at the Bob Feller statue. That is sort of the place where you meet up with your friends and get your tickets and all of that. He brought great joy to so many, such as my father. He was, perhaps, the greatest pitcher who ever lived. He died at the age of 92 in Gates Mill. He is survived by his wife Anne; his children Steve, Martin, and Bruce. I was proud to have gotten to speak a number of times to Bob Feller. I do not pretend to have known him well. But he was always a major presence in Cleveland baseball and a major presence in Cleveland civic life. We are all grateful to him and indebted to him for his service to his country in World War II and to our community before, during, and after World War II. So I wanted to honor with that resolution, with Senator Harkin, his name and his life.

Mr. BROWN of Ohio

Mr. BROWN of Ohio. Mr. President, I rise to echo the words of the distinguished Senator from New Hampshire, Mrs. Shaheen, and her support of the repeal of don't ask, don't tell. It is important for our military, it is important for our values, it is important for human rights, it is important for our country. As we know, for nearly 17 years Federal law has dictated that gay and lesbian Americans serving or hoping to serve in our Nation's military must be silent about their sexual orientation. If that silence were broken, they would face the grim consequences of an almost certain discharge. The don't ask, don't tell policy, as it has become commonly known, is inconsistent with our American values. It has robbed the military of valuable personnel who can contribute to military readiness and fulfillment of missions at home and abroad. That is why I opposed this policy in the mid-1990s and have advocated for its repeal ever since. Throughout this debate I have heard from many Ohioans, including members of our military, expressing profound opposition to the policy of don't ask, don't tell. Ohioans such as Cadet Katherine Miller, LTC Victor Fehrenback, who spoke with me at one of my Thursday morning coffees in the Capitol, MAJ Mike Almy, and many other advocates and servicemembers have worked in their communities. They have walked the Halls of Congress to explain why don't ask, don't tell should be overturned. Their experiences and that of those they represent are reminders that important battles remain in the fight for human rights and justice in our country. But we know for sure that history is on their side. Today's vote will affirm what military leaders from Defense Secretary Gates to GEN Colin Powell to Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff Michael Mullen have been saying for some time: Repeal of don't ask, don't tell will make our military stronger. With our Nation at war, it is especially important that our policies promote the recruitment and retention of the very best soldiers, regardless of their race, religion, sexual orientation or gender. President Obama and Secretary Gates have conducted a year-long review--which many people in this Chamber in both parties, especially my Republican colleagues, asked for--on the impact of fully and openly integrating lesbian and gay Americans into the military. It is no surprise that the report concluded that open service poses no threat to our military readiness or effectiveness. It is estimated that the don't ask, don't tell policy has cost the American people somewhere between $300 and $500 million to implement. It has resulted in the discharge of almost 14,000 soldiers--14,000 soldiers who were discharged not for performance but because of their sexual orientation. These 14,000 Americans include hundreds of Ohioans who offered to lay down their lives for this country. They deserve better than investigations and discharge. They deserve acceptance, affirmation and, most importantly, the right to serve openly and honestly in America's military. The strength of our Nation is measured not just by the size of the economy or the might of our military, it is measured by acts consistent with our values, the very values our servicemembers defend and that define our Nation's greatness. The repeal of don't ask, don't tell is a long overdue victory for our military, a victory for American values, a victory for human rights and, most important, a victory for the American people. I ask support of the measure, a resounding vote out of this Senate to go along with the House so the President can sign this bill and end this policy that has not served the American people well for much of two decades. I yield the floor, suggest the absence of a quorum, and ask unanimous consent that time under the quorum be charged equally to both sides.

Mr. BROWN of Ohio

Mr. BROWN of Ohio. Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent that the Senate proceed to the immediate consideration of H.R. 6533, which was received from the House.

Mr. BROWN of Ohio. Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent that the bill be read a third time and passed, the motion to reconsider be laid upon the table, and any statements related to the bill be printed in the Record.

Mr. BROWN of Ohio

Mr. BROWN of Ohio. I ask unanimous consent that the Baucus substitute amendment at the desk be considered and agreed to; the bill, as amended, be read a third time, passed, and the motion to reconsider be laid on the table; that the title amendment which is at the desk be considered and agreed to, and that any statements related thereto be printed in the Record.

Mr. BROWN of Ohio. Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent that the Finance Committee be discharged from further consideration of H.R. 4915 and the Senate proceed to its consideration.

Mr. BROWN of Ohio

Mr. BROWN of Ohio. Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent that the Senate proceed to the immediate consideration of H. Con. Res. 335 just received from the House and at the desk.

Mr. BROWN of Ohio. Mr. President, I thank Ambassador Holbrooke for the Dayton Accords, held in Dayton, OH, in which Ambassador Holbrooke played such a key roll in bringing forward. I ask unanimous consent that the concurrent resolution and preamble be agreed to en bloc; the motions to reconsider be laid on the table en bloc; and that any statements relating to the concurrent resolution be printed in the Record.

Mr. BROWN of Ohio

Mr. BROWN of Ohio. Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent that the Senate proceed to the immediate consideration of H.R. 6473, which was received from the House and is at the desk.

Mr. BROWN of Ohio. Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent that the bill be read three times and passed, the motion to reconsider be laid upon the table, with no intervening action or debate, and any statements be printed in the Record.

Mr. BROWN of Ohio

Mr. BROWN of Ohio. Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent that the Senate proceed to the immediate consideration of Calendar No. 657, S. 118.

Mr. BROWN of Ohio. Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent that the committee-reported substitute amendment be considered, that a Dodd amendment which is at the desk be agreed to, the committee-substitute amendment, as amended, be agreed to, the bill, as amended, be read a third time, and that a budgetary pay-go statement be read.

Mr. BROWN of Ohio. Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent that the bill be passed, and the motions to reconsider be laid upon the table, with no intervening action or debate, and any statements related to the bill be printed in the Record.

Mr. BROWN of Ohio

Mr. BROWN of Ohio. Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent that the Committee on Environment and Public Works be discharged from further consideration of H.R. 6510 and the Senate proceed to its immediate consideration.

Mr. BROWN of Ohio. I ask unanimous consent the bill be read a third time and passed, the motion to reconsider be laid upon the table, and any statements relating to the measure be printed in the Record.

Mr. BROWN of Ohio

Mr. BROWN of Ohio. Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent that the previous order relating to recognition of Senator Specter on Tuesday, December 21, be modified to provide that he be recognized at 10:30 a.m. that day.

Mr. BROWN of Ohio

Mr. BROWN of Ohio. Mr. President, if there is no further business to come before the Senate, I ask unanimous consent that it adjourn under the previous order.

Mr. BROWN of Ohio

Mr. BROWN of Ohio. Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent that the Senate proceed to executive session to consider en bloc Calendar Nos. 1090 and 1091; that the nominations be confirmed en bloc; the motions to reconsider be laid upon the table en bloc; that any statements related to the nominations be printed in the Record as if read; that the President be immediately notified of the Senate's action; and that the Senate then resume legislative session. Further, as if in executive session, I ask unanimous consent that on Sunday, December 19, following any vote with respect to the Risch amendment to the START treaty, the Senate then proceed to consider the following nominations: Calendar Nos. 892 and 1092; and vote immediately on confirmation of the nominations, with 2 minutes of debate prior to each confirmation vote, equally divided and controlled between Senator Leahy and Senator Sessions or their designees; that upon confirmation, the motions to reconsider be considered made and laid upon the table, the President be immediately notified of the Senate's action, and the Senate then resume legislative session; further, after the first vote in this sequence, the succeeding votes be limited to 10 minutes each.

Mr. BROWN of Ohio

Mr. BROWN of Ohio. Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent that on Sunday, December 19, following any leader remarks, the Senate resume executive session in and consideration of the START treaty; that there then be 3 hours of debate with respect to the Risch amendment No. 4839, with the time divided as follows: 1 hour under the control of Senator Kerry or his designee and 2 hours under the control of Senator Risch or his designee; that no amendments be in order to the Risch amendment; further, that upon the use or yielding back of the time, the Senate proceed to vote with respect to the amendment.